The Murdered Mermaid (A Brimstone Witch Mystery Book 6) Read online

  I cleared my throat nervously and said to Brin, “Astrid told me something about Mum yesterday. I don’t know if I believe her, but I can’t stop thinking about what she said.”

  Brin looked at me without blinking. “What did she tell you?”

  “She said Luca was responsible for Mum’s death, and that everyone in Brimstone knows that. Except me, of course.”

  “And me,” Stanley added. “Everyone’s been keeping it a secret from us.” He looked at me with sad eyes. “We feel betrayed, don’t we?”

  My eyes began to sting and my vision blurred. I stroked Stanley’s head again and gave him a small nod.

  Brin reached out and put her little hand on my arm. In a gentle tone, she said, “Part of what Astrid told you is true. The town does know how your mum died. Blythe told us not to talk to you about it until she’d spoken to you. But it’s been one murder after another recently and she hasn’t had the time to have that conversation with you.”

  My stomach clenched in anger. “But Gran knew! She could have told me! Everyone’s been lying to me. Why?”

  “It was Blythe’s orders. She said it was the right thing to do. Esther disagreed with her, but Blythe convinced her to be patient.” She squeezed my arm. “I’m sorry if it’s hard for you to accept, Cassia, but Blythe thought she was doing the right thing.”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure about that. Was it Luca’s fault that Mum died? What did he do?”

  Brin pulled her hand back. “He didn’t do anything apart from getting lost in the forest one day. Like yourself, he was only seven when your mum died. He’d only just discovered his shapeshifting abilities and he was in his rabbit form when he got himself into trouble. Your mum rescued him by putting herself in danger.” Brin’s eyes welled up. “I don’t know the full details, but I do know it was a terrible accident. Your mum saved Luca’s life but lost her own by doing so.”

  Tears escaped from my eyes. “Does Luca know what happened? He’s never spoken to me about it.”

  Brin nodded. “When the accident happened, he was distraught and wouldn’t stop screaming. Blythe used a spell to take his memory of the accident away. It was for the best. It wasn’t his fault that your mum died and Blythe didn’t want him carrying that guilt around.”

  “But he must have known. Astrid talked about Mum’s death in front of him.”

  Brin’s hands curled into little fists. “Astrid must have told him. But what exactly did she tell him? Did she make out it was his fault? Just when I thought she’d done her worst! I’ll have to talk to Luca and see what she said to him. Don’t you worry about this; I’ll deal with Luca.” She gave me a sad smile. “I’m sorry about your mum. I’ll talk to Blythe when she returns and make sure she explains everything to you. Your mum’s death was an accident; a terrible accident.”

  I brushed my tears away. “I don’t want to talk about Mum anymore. Tell me more about this beach that I can’t remember.”

  There was a flash of green light and someone appeared in the room.

  Brin turned to the visitor and said, “At last! I thought you’d never get here.”

  Chapter 3

  I looked at the man who had appeared in the room. He was slim and seemed to be about my height. I’d put his age at early to mid-twenties. His short brown hair stuck up in spikes and I caught flecks of green mixed in with the brown. He was wearing light green trousers and a plain, white shirt. A waistcoat was fastened over his shirt which had leaves and butterflies embroidered on it. His friendly face was turned my way and his light green eyes twinkled as if he’d just been told the best joke ever.

  He clasped his hands together and jigged from foot to foot. He burst out, “Cassia Winter! I’m so excited to be here!”

  Brin stood up and walked over to the excited man. She held her arms out and the young man lowered himself and then hugged her warmly. “Brin! So very good to see you again.”

  Brin took a step back and said, “Jeremy, you haven’t aged a day since I last saw you. How much magic are you using on your looks?”

  Jeremy laughed. “What’s the point of being a witch if I can’t use magic on myself?”

  He was a witch? I shared a confused look with Stanley.

  Jeremy laughed again at our befuddled expressions and moved closer to us. He perched himself on the small chair that Brin had vacated and gave us the warmest of smiles. The twinkle in his eyes increased and I noticed flecks of gold in them.

  He held his hand out. “I’m Jeremy Spring. I’m a witch. One of the season witches just like you, Cassia Winter.”

  I took his hand. It was warm and after I shook it, I didn’t let go. I said, “I’ve never met another witch. Apart from my gran and Blythe, of course. I only found out recently about the witches who are named after seasons.”

  Jeremy left his hand in mine and continued to smile at me. “I know all about you. I’ve been friends with Blythe and Esther for years.” His smile dropped slightly. “I knew your mum too. Rosalyn and I worked together many times. I was sorry to hear of her passing. You have her same eyes.” He removed his hand from mine and gently touched the end of my nose. “And the very same freckle on the end of your nose. I hope you don’t mind me talking about Rosalyn.”

  I smiled at the charming witch in front of me. “I don’t mind at all.” I hesitated. “In fact, I would like to hear more about her.”

  “And I would be delighted to tell you.” Jeremy turned his attention to Stanley. “I’ve heard about you too, Stanley. I know how much you’ve helped Cassia, and how brave you are. You’re a handsome-looking cat. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  Stanley let out a little cat chuckle. “It has been mentioned once or twice. Do you know my brother, Oliver?”

  Jeremy nodded. “I do. I’ve had a few conversations with him.” He moved his head closer and said, “Is he still bossy?”

  I nodded on Stanley’s behalf.

  Brin came over to us with a tray of tea things. I hadn’t even noticed her leaving the room. She placed the items on a table at my side and said, “I hope coffee is okay with everyone. Cassia, Jeremy is here to help you with your next investigation. I hope that’s okay with you?”

  I gave Brin a wary look. “Why do I need help?”

  Jeremy said, “It was my idea to offer my services. I keep an eye on Brimstone Beach and have done for years. I used to help your mum when any problems arose there. I know the beach well, and the beings who live there. I was on patrol there a few days ago when I felt a change in the air.” He frowned as he considered his next words. “I can’t quite explain it. It’s like there’s an expectation of evil in the air. As if the area is waiting for something terrible to happen. Do you know what I mean?”

  “I do.” I took the cup that Brin passed my way and said thank you to her. “We’ve experienced that same feeling a lot in Brimstone recently. Do you know about the black magic that was forced into our town?”

  Jeremy gave me a grim smile. “I do. All the season witches know about it. I also know that Blythe and Esther have left Brimstone and gone after Blythe’s cousins as she thinks they’re responsible for the black magic.”

  My cup shook in my hands. “Have you heard anything about them? Are they okay?”

  “They will be. They’re not alone.” Jeremy took a sip of his coffee. “The other season witches are on their way to help Blythe and Esther as we speak. They’ll be back home before you know it.” He shot me a reassuring smile. “In the meantime, I’d like to help you with the possible trouble at Brimstone Beach. When you had your problem with the black magic here, some of it made its way to the beach. I was hoping it wouldn’t affect anyone there, but it seems I may be wrong. We can head that way after our lovely coffee and I’ll explain everything on the journey. If that’s okay with you, Cassia? I don’t want to get in your way.”

  There was a reassuring presence about Jeremy and I felt instinctively that I could trust him. I looked down at Stanley and said, “What do you think?”

  St
anley turned his little head towards Jeremy and said, “I would like that. I’m getting a good feeling from you. You smell good too. Like new leaves on a tree.”

  Jeremy grinned. “I like you too, Stanley. If we have time, will you show me around Brimstone? I haven’t been here for years and I’d love to have a nosy around it. Do all the supernatural creatures still get along with each other?”

  “Mostly,” I told him. “I’ve dealt with five murders recently, and I was hoping there wouldn’t be any more. But there could be. Jeremy, where do you live? Where have you come from? What kind of butterflies are those on your waistcoat?” I nodded in the direction of the creatures embroidered there. They had black wings with red bands along the outside of the wings. White spots adorned the top of the wings.

  Jeremy laughed again. He did that a lot and I liked it. He said, “These are Red Admirals. And that’s the town where I live. It’s not quite as pretty as Brimstone, but it’s home. We have the same supernatural creatures that you have here, but they don’t live in harmony like yours do. The werewolves and vampires can’t even bear to be on the same side of the street as each other. I’d invite you to come over for a visit but I’m afraid you’d be called in to settle a fight as soon as you stepped over the border into our town.”

  We chatted a bit more about the work Jeremy did in Red Admiral and I told him briefly about the murders in Brimstone. Jeremy was greatly saddened to hear about them. Stanley told him about Astrid and Luca. Jeremy lost his smile altogether and the twinkle in his eyes dimmed.

  I said brightly, “Apart from the murders, Brimstone is a lovely place to be. We’ll show you around later.” I drained the last of my coffee and put my cup down. “Shall we head over to the beach now? I’ve got my broomstick with me. You could squeeze on it with me if you like?”

  Jeremy put his cup down and clicked his fingers. A broom appeared in the air next to him. It was made of light green wood and had daffodils and tulips placed in the green bristles at the end of it. It looked like a work of art.

  “Wow!” Stanley exclaimed. “Has your broomstick been here all this time? How did you make it appear? Can you show Cassia how to do that?”

  Jeremy laughed and the twinkle came back into his eyes. “You have as many questions as Cassia. Let’s head off now and I’ll try to answer as many questions as I can on the way.”

  I looked over at Brin and said, “Will you be alright if we go? What if something happens here? What if the residents start turning on each other?”

  Brin cast me a grim smile. “If that happens, I’ll use an immobilising spell on the whole town and then I’ll send you a message. I’m sure everything will be alright here, Cassia. You go to the beach with Jeremy. I’ve got a strong feeling that you’re needed there.”

  Chapter 4

  I was reluctant to leave Brin on her own but she insisted she’d be fine. I told her to contact me immediately if there was any trouble in Brimstone. Her smile was overly bright as she bid us farewell.

  Stanley had given me a hopeful look as we stood on the path outside Blythe’s house with Jeremy. He’d barely taken his attention off Jeremy’s wonderful broomstick since the second it had appeared, so I knew what his hopeful look meant. That cat of mine loved flying and he’d already travelled on Blythe’s broomstick as well as mine. I could see how eager he was to try out Jeremy’s broomstick. He reminded me of one of those roller coaster addicts who travel the world looking for their next adrenalin rush.

  I sent Stanley an understanding smile before saying to Jeremy, “Would you mind if Stanley flew with you? He loves going on different broomsticks and I can see how impressed he is with yours.”

  Stanley turned his little face towards Jeremy, his eyes wide with hope.

  Jeremy gave him a broad smile. “I would love that! Stanley, hop aboard.” He lowered his broomstick and Stanley was on it in a second.

  I settled on my broomstick and followed Jeremy as he rose away from the path and over Brimstone town.

  Jeremy turned his broomstick to the west and said, “The beach is about ten miles that way. I’ll tell you about it as we fly along.”

  I stayed close to Jeremy’s side as we made our way over fields and mountains.

  He began, “The beach is five miles long. The area of sea that belongs to Brimstone stretches out for hundreds of miles. It’s inhabited by the usual sea creatures that you’d expect to find.”

  “Like dolphins, whales and sharks?” I asked.

  “Yes. And vampire squids, harpies, sirens, sea hags.” He paused. “There are the mischievous grindylows, of course. You must watch out for them. They love dragging their victims into the sea.”

  I said, “What do the grindylows look like? I don’t like the sound of them.”

  Jeremy gave me a warning look. “They’re small and green. They often disguise themselves to look like seaweed. I’ll watch out for them and warn you if I see any.” He reached forward and stroked Stanley’s head. “You keep well away from them, my little friend.”

  Keeping his head forward on the view, Stanley replied, “I’m not going anywhere near the sea. I don’t like it. It’s too wet.”

  Jeremy laughed. “You’re right about that. Of course, the majority of the creatures who live in the sea are merpeople.”

  My broomstick wobbled. “Merpeople? Like mermaids and mermen?”

  “Yes, of course.” Jeremy looked my way. “Why do you look so shocked?”

  “I just wasn’t expecting to ever meet such creatures.” A smile stretched across my face. “Wow. Merpeople. How exciting! What are they like?”

  “Like everyone else.” Jeremy hesitated before continuing. “Cassia, your mum used to spend a lot of time at the beach with the merpeople. Some of them might talk to you about her. Would that be alright? I could warn them not to if you prefer?”

  “I honestly don’t mind. I’m not sure what’s come over me today, but I feel ready to talk about Mum. Did you work with Mum at the beach?”

  Jeremy nodded. “We had many adventures together. There’s a kraken who lives on the bottom of the seabed and he loves causing fights whenever there’s a full moon! I think he’s got a touch of the werewolf in him. Your mum and I had our hands full with the chaos he caused.”

  Jeremy went into more details as we flew along. His stories about Mum made my heart feel light and happy. It was clear that he’d been fond of her and had a great deal of respect for her. I felt like I was getting to know Mum for the first time.

  Jeremy had just finished telling me a story about a drunken harpy when I spotted a line of blue on the horizon.

  Stanley saw it too and yelled, “I can see the sea! Look! It’s over there.” He quickly stood up on his hind legs and waved his front paws in the air. “I can see the sea!”

  Jeremy reached out and put a steadying hand on Stanley. “Whoa there! Be careful. You nearly fell off.”

  I shook my head at Stanley. Perhaps I should get him a broomstick seat with straps on it; the sort of thing that you’d use for an excited child. Maybe I should magic one up for him.

  Jeremy headed towards the blue line. I was thankful to see he kept one hand on Stanley who was now sitting down again.

  As we got closer to the sea, I could hear the sound of people chatting and laughing. Someone was singing and there was a faint twang of a guitar. We headed ever closer and the expanse of blue increased. The sun was shining on the sea and spots of sunlight danced like stars across the surface. I spotted a lighthouse perched on a cliff to our left. It was painted in the colours of the Brimstone butterflies: light green and yellow. Jeremy was saying something but I couldn’t quite catch his words.

  The sound of chatting increased and it was now mixed with the occasional cheer and yell. We reached the beach and I looked down at the wide expanse of golden sand. I saw a colourful array of beach chairs and towels strewn across the sand with people lounging on them. Tables were placed intermittently amongst them loaded with plates and cups. Nets and makeshift goals were d
otted around the sand and people were playing games and yelling happily at each other. An open café made of wood was at the side of the beach, and the delicious smell of hot dogs, burgers and chips wafted towards us.

  When I say people, I’m not sure they were human. The creatures playing and lounging on the beach looked human, but they were impressive specimens. Even from up high I could see how perfect they all looked with their toned bodies and beautiful faces. The sun caught the light glitter on their skin and highlighted every muscle and firm limb. Every creature was wearing skimpy beach clothes which didn’t leave much to the imagination. Mind you, if I looked like that, I’d be dressed skimpily too.

  Jeremy said, “I know; they’re perfect, aren’t they? It’s like arriving at a photo shoot where only the most beautiful and ideal creatures are allowed. Those are the merpeople.”

  I couldn’t stop staring at them as we came in for a landing. They were mesmerizing as they played ball games, lounged on the towels and delicately ate slices of fruit. One of them must have a spot. Surely? Or a small roll of fat somewhere? Was that too much to ask?

  Some of them looked our way and gave us cheerful waves as we landed on the sand. I heard Jeremy’s name called out in welcome. He raised a hand and smiled in response.

  Stanley leapt off Jeremy’s broomstick and landed on the sand. He sniffed it suspiciously and said, “It smells weird. I don’t like it.” He put his paw on something and rolled it to one side. “What is this?”

  Jeremy laughed. “It’s a shell. It used to have a sea creature in it.”

  Stanley’s face creased in repulsion. “That’s disgusting. What’s it doing here on the sand? It should be back in the sea where it belongs.”

  Jeremy knelt at his side. “Haven’t you been to the beach before?”

  Stanley shook his head. “I haven’t, and I don’t think much about it so far. Does this sand stuff go on forever? Where are the trees and flowers? And what’s with the sea and that noise it’s making? Can’t someone switch it off?” He tutted as he glowered at the sea.